AGES 0 & UP

IN MY HEART, by Mackenzie Porter and Jenny Løvlie, Little Simon, March 10, 2020, Board Book, $7.99 (ages 0-3)

A working mother reassures her child that even when they’re apart, they’re always in each other’s hearts.

Though we’re not together
we’re never truly apart,
because you’re always on my mind
and you’re always in my heart.

This is what a mother tells her child as she leaves for work each day. This board book captures the sentiment that many women feel about being a working mom. The text takes us through a mother’s day away, showing us that although she’s working hard, her child is always on her mind and always in her heart.

HAND IN HAND, by Alyssa Satin Capucilli and Sheryl Murray, Little Simon, Jan. 7, 2020, Board Book, $7.99 (ages 0-3)

In this New Books for Newborns book, a parent and their child set out for a fun-filled day of adventure. Whether it’s having fun at the park, or letting your child learn something new, this rhyming board book is the a good way to tell your little one that no matter where you are or what you’re doing, all that really matters is doing it together, hand in hand.

The New Books for Newborns series is “just right” for parents to read to their babies. With short, lilting and lullaby-like texts, these board books help parents introduce reading to their children with snuggly, soothing read-alouds perfect for first story times.

WELCOME, BABY! by Karen Katz, Little Simon, Dec. 17, 2019, Board Book, $6.99 (ages 1-5)

Celebrate the sweet moments that come with welcoming a new baby to the family in this lift-the-flap book from bestselling author Karen Katz.

From baby’s first tiny pajamas to the ever-important baby’s first blanket, this snuggly lift-the-flap book showcases all the ways parents show their love to new babies.

Welcome, Baby! is a way to let parents share childhood stories and memories with their child about the day they became a family.

I WILL TALK TO YOU, LITTLE ONE: READ TO YOUR BABY, by Phyllis E. Grann and Tomie dePaola, Little Simon, Jan. 21, 2020, Board Book, $9.99 (ages 0-3)

This board book by beloved author Phyllis E. Grann is filled with first promises a parent has for their child.

From saying their name starting the day they are born to reading books aloud as they get older, this story highlights the importance of talking to your little ones from the very beginning.

Paired with illustrations from award-winning illustrator Tomie dePaola, this board book is a must-have for new parents.

I HEART YOU, by Meg Fleming and Sarah Jane Wright, Little Simon, Dec. 3, 2019, Board Book, $7.99 (ages 0-5)

Little ones adore being independent and trying new things. But they also need Mom and Dad’s reassurance and snuggles. With her spare, lyrical text, Meg Fleming captures the exuberance, the affection, and the push-and-pull of life with a child. And illustrator Sarah Jane Wright’s illustrations infuse the story with generous helpings of warmth and love.

AGES 2 & UP

GO, GRANDPA, GO! and GO, GRANDMA, GO!, by Lynn Plourde and Sophie Beer, Little Simon, March 10, 2020, Board Book, $7.99 (ages 2 and up)

These board books capture the special bond that grandparents have with their grandchildren.

Grandpa is on the go in this board book! From pulling the wagon, to swinging on swings, to splashing in puddles, grandpa and grandchild are always having a blast!

Grandma is on the go in this board book! From pushing the stroller, to swinging on the swings, to hiking up a mountain, grandma and grandchild are always having a ball!

AGES 4 & UP

JUST LIKE A MAMA, by Alice Faye Duncan and Charnelle Pinkney Barlow, Denene Millner Books/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, Jan. 14, 2020, Hardcover, $17.99 (ages 4-8)

Carol Olivia Clementine lives with Mama Rose. Mama Rose is everything—tender and sweet. She is also as stern and demanding as any good parent should be. In the midst of their happy home, Carol misses her mother and father. She longs to be with them. But until that time comes around, she learns to surrender to the love that is present. Mama Rose becomes her “home.” And Carol Olivia Clementine concludes that she loves Miss Rose, “just like a mama.”

This read-aloud is, on the surface, all about the everyday home life a caregiver creates for a young child: she teachers Clementine how to ride a bike, clean her room, tell time. A deeper look reveals the patience, intention, and care little ones receives in the arms of a mother whose blood is not her blood, but whose bond is so deep—and so unconditional—that it creates the most perfect condition for a child to feel safe, successful, and deeply loved.

WHAT IS LIGHT? by Markette Sheppard and Cathy Ann Johnson, Denene Millner Books/Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, May 5, 2020, Hardcover, $17.99 (ages 4-8)

This picture book explores the beauty of the everyday moments in a child’s world.

Light can be so many things! The twinkle of a faraway star, a firefly captured in a jar, a mother’s love, a turtle dove…

Through this thoughtful and celebratory book, young readers will discover the special glow in everything from nature to the smiles of loved ones. Each page reveals a different sparkle found in a child’s simple but extraordinary world. The light revealed on the final page makes a fitting finale for this sweet, bright tale.

HUNDRED FEET TALL, by Benjamin Scheuer and Jemima Williams, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, Feb. 11, 2020, Hardcover, $17.99 (ages 4-8)

This picture book shows us that with just the right amount of care and support, even the smallest of seeds can grow to stand one hundred feet tall.

Thanks for the love that you’ve shown me
Right now I’m so very small
But with water and light
I will keep gaining height
And then one day I’ll stand at a hundred feet tall

Hundred Feet Tall is a tender ode to the power of unconditional, immutable love. Because no matter how small you are now, with patience and persistence, with encouragement and devotion, you, too, will someday grow strong.

 AGES 8 & UP

FOREVER GLIMMER CREEK, by Stacy Hackney, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, April 7, 2020, Hardcover, $17.99 (ages 8-12)

There’s no accounting for Miracles, at least that’s what the folks of Glimmer Creek say. Every year, one lucky inhabitant survives danger, and bits of magic cling to them for a lifetime.

Rosie Flynn doesn’t know how to get a Miracle but knows for sure they’re real. It’s the same way she’s certain she’ll always have her two best friends, Henry and Cam, that she’ll be a famous film director someday, and that she and her Mama are the perfect team of two.

But when someone Rosie loves goes missing, she just might discover that the true Miracle of Glimmer Creek is much different than she’d always believed and that the relationships she holds dear are the most fortunate gift of all.

KATIE CUPCAKES AND WEDDING BELLS (CUPCAKE DIARIES BOOK 33), By Coco Simon, Simon Spotlight, May 5, 2020, Hardcover, $17.99 (ages 8-12)

Katie’s mom is getting married! Katie and her three best friends couldn’t be happier and have so much fun pitching in with getting ready for the big day—especially with cake testing! But when Katie finds out her mom’s marriage means her family has to move, suddenly the wedding isn’t as joyous an occasion. What will life be like in a new home with a new family?

The post Celebrate mothers and fathers with these fun books appeared first on www.crackingthecover.com.

“GATOR DAD,” by Brian Lies, HMH Books for Young Readers, May 3, 2016, Hardcover, $17.99 (ages 3 and up)

It’s a new day, and it’s time to get cracking at the alligator house. Dad rouses the troops, feeds them and sets out to accomplish errands before heading to the park. Together they go on adventures, build forts, travel to distant lands and change their identities.

The first thing I noticed about “Gator Dad” was the incredibly detailed acrylic illustrations. There’s a lot going on in each one, and you can spend plenty of time with those alone. But “Gator Dad” wouldn’t work if it were illustrations alone. The simple prose adds just the right amount of context, and its lyrical nature make it fun to read aloud. What’s most important here are the familial connections, which ring loud and true.

“The Great and the Grand,” by Benjamin Fox and Elizabeth Robbins, Familius, Oct. 6, 2015, Hardcover, $16.96 (ages 6 and up)

The New is surrounded by things to touch; the Old by touching things. The New and Old are about to meet as the past and future collide.

“The Great and the Grand” looks at the beauty found in new discoveries and old memories as a new baby and old grandfather ready themselves for a first meeting. Benjamin Fox’s sparse, yet loving text builds the framework for Elizabeth Robbins’ beautiful paintings. The emotion in her illustrations jumps from the page.

“The Great and the Grand” is hopeful and nostalgic, making it a good gift choice for new grandfathers.

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